Today I am reminded of the meaning of the Khoisan inscribing on our Coat of Arms – !ke e: /xarra //ke. At the unveiling of the Coat of Arms, Thabo Mbeki spoke about the importance of our humanity and said that we will never be fully human if any people is wiped off the face of the earth, because each one of us is a particle of the complete whole. He said that the inclusion of this extinct language is South Africa’s commitment to value life.

Travelling especially abroad is off the cards at least for now. Egypt has always been a popular tourist destination. With this post we would like to travel to Egypt only with a central South African twist.

The ancient Egyptian collection in the National Museum in Bloemfontein consists of a variety of objects that were donated by various people who either visited Egypt or worked there. The time span of the objects is from the pre-Dynastic era (c 4500BC) to the Late Period (c 715-332BC).

Oliewenhuis Art Museum celebrates Freedom day by presenting the work of Sam Nhlengethwa, Ella Fitzgerald live, (2005). This emblematic work of Nhlengethwa forms part of Oliewenhuis Art Museum’s Permanent Collection.  This work was specifically chosen as it represents hope, music, freedom and enjoyment.

Not all species of reptiles are egg-laying (oviparous). The females of many species give birth to offspring that develop within shells inside the female’s body and ‘hatch’ just before being delivered (viviparity). The occurrence of either mode of reproduction appears to be influenced by the environmental risks affecting the survival of the parents or young. For example, extreme temperatures (too cold or too hot) negatively impacts eggs, but environments heavily populated by predators mean that mothers may be eaten before giving birth.

Scrolling through Facebook one sees a lot of posts from family and friends baking and cooking up a storm in the kitchen. #Lockdown2020 will definitely be remembered by many for spending a lot of family time around the dining table.